Who is eligible to apply?
ACF posts are designed for doctors and dentists in the early stages of their clinical training who are interested in pursuing a clinical academic career. Applicants should be at Specialty Training stage at post take up (ST1-ST3, with ST4 in some specialties) and demonstrate a strong commitment to integrating research into their clinical practice.
These roles follow a 75/25% time split, with 75% dedicated to clinical training and 25% protected for research. While ACFs remain employed by the NHS, they also hold an honorary contract with the University.
Our main allocation of ACF posts are advertised each October, with interviews taking place in December, for post take up in the following August. The jobs are advertised on Oriel.
What is the duration of these posts?
An ACF post is typically funded for up to three years, allowing trainees to balance clinical training with dedicated research time. GP trainees are eligible for up to four years funding.
Trainees follow a structured programme that includes research preparation, academic training, and hands-on research experience while continuing to progress in their clinical careers and meeting all required competencies.
How does an ACF post support you to develop a Clinical Academic Career?
An ACF post offers structured training to help trainees:
• Build research experience relevant to their clinical specialty.
• Develop a strong academic portfolio, including research presentations, publications, and collaborations.
• Receive mentorship from experienced clinical academics to guide their career progression.
These posts enable medical and dental trainees to integrate research with clinical training, equipping them to compete for a Research Training Fellowship leading to a PhD.
Postgraduate education opportunities for ACFs
ACFs can enrol in a whole scheme of postgraduate taught and distance learning modules, including but not limited to Research Methods, Statistics, and Project Management.
They also have the opportunity to obtain a Postgraduate Certificate in Research Methodology or transfer to a Master’s in Clinical Research (MRes) to further develop their research training and academic qualifications.
What wider support is offered to our ACFs?
In addition to structured training, we offer:
- An annual £1,000 bursary for conference and training attendance; a one-off £1000 Research Consumables Bursary
- The opportunity to apply for an External Collaboration Research Bursary, to support placements and learning at external institutions.
- Birmingham clinical trainee events and a West Midlands ICAT Annual Retreat. These networking and development events connect trainees with local and regional academic leads and peers.